Diagnostic Tools:

Production Data Analysis and

Well Testing
Prepared for:
ENPE 533
Mehran Pooladi-Darvish

A few questions to answer

What will be rate of production in future?
Can we do anything to improve production
rate? By how much?
Which well is worth more?

Two methods of finding the answers

Well testing (PTA):

Production data (Decline

curve) analysis (RTA):

Estimate parameters Use the historical

production data and
that affect production
predict (extrapolate) the
rate and model future
future response
response

Modern RTA/PTA
analysis

Well-Testing: What is a test?

Impose a change in
rate
A drawdown test

Measure change in
pressure with time

Which reservoir has ?

9000

Higher permeability?
Lower Skin?
Larger reserve?

8000
7000

Pressure, kPa

6000
5000

Reservoir 1
Reservoir 2

4000
3000
2000
1000
0
0

100

200

300
Time, hour

400

500

600

What is well-test interpretation?

Analysis of p, q vs. t
To obtain
Permeability
Skin (Damage)
Reservoir size
Reservoir pressure
Reservoir description

What is the basis of PTA?

Determine the relation between change in
pressure (because of change in rate) and
reservoir properties, k, S, etc.
Combine mass balance, Darcys law and
EOS to obtain the diffusivity equation
1 p ct p
r =
r r r
k t

Solve diffusivity equation with the following

two BCs
q = const.
r = rw
q=0
r = re

Determination of K and S
Transient flow regime

pi pwf (t ) =

k
162.6q B

log
(
t
)
+
log

3
.
23
+
0
.
87
S

c r 2
kh

t w

Interpretation method?

Semi-log plot
8000
7000
6000

Pressure, kPa

slope =
5000

162.6 qB
kh
Reservoir 1
Reservoir 2

4000
3000
2000
1000
0
0.001

0.01

0.1

1
Time, hour

10

100

1000

SEMI-LOG
PERM=1
PERM=10
PERM=100
Slope gives permeability

SEMI-LOG
P
k
s' = 1.151
log ( t ) log
2

c
r
m
t w

+ 3.23

Skin = 10
Skin = 0
Skin = -5

Intercept gives skin

Detection of transient flow regime

is necessary
Semi-log plot
Analysis 1
4500
4000

k
kh
s'

20.974 m D
20.97 mD.m
0.291

p/q, kPa/(m 3 /d)

3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500

p/qdata
p/qmodel

0
10-4

2 3 4 56 8
10-3

2 3 4 56 8
10-2

2 3 4 56 8
10-1

2 3 4 56 8
1.0

t , h

2 3 456 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

2 3 4 56 8
103

Methods of Analysis
Traditional (e.g semi-log/Horner)
Derivative: Slope of the semi-log plot
Computer-aided integrated (History
matching)

DERIVATIVE
Derivative is defined as: Der = dP/d(ln(t))
Derivative is obtained by plotting the data on a
semi-log scale of Pressure versus Log time.
The slope of this semi-log curve gives the
derivative.
Derivative is a misnomer. It should have been
called semi-log Derivative. It should not be
confused with the mathematical derivative of
pressure with time. This latter term dP/dt has been
given the name PPD (Primary Pressure Derivative),
and is used to differentiate between wellbore
dynamics and reservoir transients.

Diagnostic Analysis Method:

Derivative Analysis
Radial 0
k
s'

19.392 mD
-0.147

Semi-log plot

Log-Log Derivative Plot

104

Analysis 1

4500

4
2

4000

3500

p/q, kPa/(m3/d)

p/q , kPa/(m 3/d)

103

2
102
7
4
2

k
kh
s'

20.974 m D
20.97 mD.m
0.291

3000
2500
2000
1500

101
7

p/q data
p/q model

Derivativedata
Derivativemodel

2
1.0
10-4

2 3 4 56 8
10-3

2 3 4 56 8
10-2

2 3 4 56 8
10-1

2 3 456 8
1.0

t , h

2 3 456 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

2 3 4 56 8
103

1000
500

p/q data
p/q model

0
2
10-4

3 4 56 8
10- 3

3 4 56 8
10 -2

2 3 4 56 8
10 -1

2 3 4 56 8
1.0

t , h

Flat portion: Transient radial flow, gives K

The magnitude of the hump, gives S

2 3 4 56 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

3 4 56 8
103

Effect of skin on Derivative plot

Radial 0
k
s'

Radial 0

19.392 mD
9.482

k
s'

Log-Log Derivative Plot

Log-Log Derivative Plot

104

104
7

103

103
7

p/q , kPa/(m 3/d)

p/q , kPa/(m 3/d)

19.392 mD
-0.147

2
102
7
4

2
102
7
4

101

101
7

Derivativedata
Derivativemodel

2
1.0
10-4

p/q data
p/q model

2 3 4 56 8
10-3

2 3 4 56 8
10-2

2 3 4 56 8
10-1

2 3 456 8
1.0

t , h

2 3 456 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

2 3 4 56 8
103

p/q data
p/q model

Derivativedata
Derivativemodel

2
1.0
10-4

2 3 4 56 8
10-3

2 3 4 56 8
10-2

2 3 4 56 8
10-1

2 3 456 8
1.0

t , h

2 3 456 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

2 3 4 56 8
103

How to determine reservoir size?

Compressibility Cause of
production
9000

Expansion vs.
displacement

7000
6000

Pressure, kPa

1 V
c=
V p

8000

5000

Reservoir 1
Reservoir 2

4000
3000
2000
1000
0
0

100

200

300
Time, hour

dp wf
0.234qB
=
= constant
dt
ct Ah

400

500

600

Determination of Reservoir Area

Derivative Analysis
Radial 0

Radial 0
k
s'

k
s'

19.392 m D
9.482

Log-Log Derivative Plot

Log-Log Derivative Plot

104

104
7

4
2

2
103

103
7

p/q , kPa/(m3/d)

p/q , kPa/(m3/d)

19.392 m D
9.482

2
2

10

7
4

2
102
7
4
PSS 1

Vp
1.92e+05 m3
V
9.59e+05 m3
OIPanalysis 1.36e+02 103m 3

101

101

p/qdata
p/qmodel

1.0
2 3 4 56 8
10-3

2 3 4 56 8
10- 2

2 3 4 56 8
10- 1

2 3 4 56 8
1.0

t, h

2 3 456 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

2 3 4 56 8
-4
103 10

p/qdata
p/qmodel
Derivative data
Derivative model

2
Derivative data
Derivative model
1.0

10-4

2 3 4 56 8
10-3

2 3 4 56 8
10- 2

2 3 4 56 8
10- 1

2 3 4 56 8
1.0

t, h

2 3 456 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

2 3 4 56 8
103

Different Plotting Techniques

Reservoir Description through

Diagnostic Analysis

Hydraulically fractured wells

Naturally fractured reservoirs
Channel-shaped reservoirs
Composite and layered reservoirs
Horizontal and vertical wells
Different boundary types

Fractured well
104
7
4
2

Linear Fracture 1/2

k
mD
xf(sqrt(k)) 124.21 mD1/2m
Xf
m
s Xf

103

p/q , kPa/(m 3/d)

7
4
2
102
7
4
2
101
7

p/qdata
p/qmodel

Derivative data
Derivative model

2
1.0
10-4

2 3 4 56 8
10-3

2 3 4 56 8
10-2

2 3 4 56 8
10-1

2 3 4 56 8
1.0

t , h

Objectives
What other flow regime?

2 3 4 56 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

2 3 4 56 8
103

Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

(NFR)

Derivative Plot - NFR

TD Vertical 4
Typecurve
103
7
5
3

p/q , kPa/(m3/d)

2
102
7
5
3
2
101
7
5

p/qdata
p/qmodel

3
2

Derivative data
Derivative model

1.0
10-4

2 3 4 56 8
10-3

2 3 4 56 8
10-2

2 3 4 56 8
10-1

2 3 4 56 8
1.0

t , h

2 3 4 56 8
101

2 3 4 56 8
102

2 3 4 56 8
103

 Slope of Derivative:

Flow Regime:

Early Time slope = 1

Wellbore storage
Fracture

Middle Time

Late Time

slope = 0

slope =
slope = 1

Radial flow;
(semilog straight line)
Channel
Reservoir Volume

Methods of Analysis
TD Vertical 1
Total Test
4000

pi (syn) 4000.0 psi

p*
3979.3 psi

kh
h
k
sd

3995
3990

5000.00 md.ft
50.000 ft
100.000 m d
-2.000

Xe
Ye
Xw
Yw

1500.0ft
0.0010
1500.0ft
100.0 ft
750.0 ft 0.0008
0.0006

3985
Pressure , psi

Traditional (e.g
semi-log/Horner)
Derivative: Slope of
the semi-log plot
Computer-aided
integrated (History
matching)

0.0004

3980

0.0002

3975

-0.0000

3970

-0.0002

3965

-0.0004

3960

p data
-0.0006
p model
% Error
-0.0008
100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210

3955
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Time , h

Build-up vs. Drawdown

500
450

Change in Pressure, kPa

400

Higher permeability?
Lower Skin?

350
300

Reservoir 1
Reservoir 2

250
200
150
100
50
0
0

50

100

150
Time, hour

200

250

Well-Testing (PTA) vs.

Production Data Analysis (RTA)
Well-Testing:

Study of wellbore pressure

when produced at a
constant rate

Production Data
Analysis:

Study of wellbore rate

when produced at a
constant pressure

Many wells are produced

at (near) constant
bottomhole pressure

Arps Decline Curve Analysis

Exponential, b=0
hyperbolic
Harmonic, b=1
log(q)

q(t )
1
=
1
qi
(1 + bDi t )b

log(t)

q(t )
= exp( Dt )
qi

Traditional - Arps
Empirical
Single-phase and two-phase (0 < b < 1)

Boundary-dominated regime
Data q vs. t
Constant operating conditions

Arps Type Curves by Fetkovich

Example
Example 1-Single Phase Depletion

Flow Rate, STB/day

1000

100

10
0

200

400

600

800
Time, Days

1000

1200

1400

1600

Example
Example 1-Single-Phase Depletion
10000

Flow Rate, STB/day

1000

100

10

1
0.1

10

100

1000

Time, Days

10000

100000

1000000

Meaning of different stems

The empirical exponent b is a measure of
effectiveness of the recovery process
Depletion above bubblepoint, b = 0
Solution-Gas Drive, b 0.3
Active water drive, b 0.5
Gas Cap drive with gravity drainage b 1
Decline may start with b = 0 and change to
b>0

Theoretical meaning of the decline

curves
Solve diffusivity equation with the following
two boundary conditions
p = pwf
r = rw :Constant BHP Solution
q=0
r = re
Has an analytical solution

Theoretical Meaning of the decline curves

Boundary-Dominated Flow
Start of Boundary-Dominated Flow
pi
Transient Flow
Pressure ( p )

Boundary-Dominated

re
Distance ( r )

Depletion above the bubble-point pressure

Dimensionless solutions are presented
in terms of
q

141.3qB
qD =
kh( pi pwf )

0.00634kt
tD =
ct rw2

1
4tD

qD (tD ) =
exp
4A
4A
A
ln
ln
2
2
2

C Arw
r

C
r
A w
w

Exponential Decline

Transient Flow is a single curve;

Boundary-Dominated Flow is a family of curves

Same Transient for all re/rw 's

qD

Different re/rw 's

tD

Merging the boundary-dominated portion

tDd =

tD
2

1 re 1 re
ln 1

2 rw 2 rw

re 1
qDd = qD ln
rw 2

Fetkovich Type Curves

Rate Decline Curves for "Constant Wellbore Flowing Pressure"

10

Transient Flow
Transient rFlow
Different
e/rw

Boundary
Boundary
Dominated
Flow
becomes Flow
Dominated
Exponential Decline
is Exponential
Decline

qDd

Analytical solution for

constant flowing
pressure

0.1

Matching will give reservoir parameters

0.01
0.0001

0.001
re/rw=10
re/rw=200

0.01
re/rw=20
re/rw=1000

tDd

0.1
re/rw=50
re/rw=10000

10
re/rw=100
exponential

Questions
Do transient stems depend on reservoir
size?
What parameters can be determined by
matching the transient data?

Non-Uniqueness Of Matching When Only Early-time Data Are Available

10

re/rw = 10

q, q Dd

re/rw = 50

Two equally plausible matches!

0.1

0.01
0.0001

0.001

0.01

0.1

t, tDd
re/rw=10

re/rw=50

Exponential (b=0)

10

Type Curve Matching

The rate and transient stem matches are
used for kh calculations
qDd

141.2 Bo re 1
ln
= q
kh ( p p ) r 2
i
wf
wa

log q Dd

141.2 B r 1
o
ln e
= log q + log
kh( p p ) r 2

i
wf
wa

The time and rate matches are used for

Pore Volume calculations

Fetkovich Theory Boundary Dominated and Transient

Fetkovich Decline Type Curves
10

Boundary
DominatedEmpirical
Stems

qDd

0.1

TransientAnalytical
Stems

0.01

0.001
0.0001

0.001

0.01

0.1

10

100

tDd
re/rw=10
re/rw=1000

re/rw=20
re/rw=10000

re/rw=50
b=0

b=0.6

b=0.8

b=1.0

re/rw=100
b=0.2

re/rw=200
b=0.4

Fetkovich
Empirical and theoretical
Single-phase and two-phase (0 < b < 1)

Analytical solution for single-phase flow

Exponential decline (b = 0)
Introduction of transient stems (k and S)

Boundary-dominated regime and

transient
Constant bottomhole pressure
Data q vs. t

Merging Well-Testing (PTA) and

Production Data Analysis (RTA)
Well-Testing:

pD =

kh ( pi pwf (t ))
141.3qB

Production Data
Analysis:

141.3q (t )B
qD =
kh( pi pwf )

Study of wellbore pressure

when produced at a
constant rate
Study of wellbore rate
when produced at a
constant pressure

0.00634kt
tD =
2
ct rw

How to account for variable

BHP?

Search for a Common Solution

Can one relate the PTA and RTA
solutions and therefore account for both
variable BHP and variable rate?
PTA:

RTA:

kh[pi pwf (t )]
pD =
141.2 Bq
141.2Bq(t )
qD =
kh( pi pwf )
qD =

1
pD

0.00634kt
tD =
crw2
0.00634kt
tD =
crw2

The Two Solutions Transient

The Two Solutions Boundary Dominated

Circles: constant P
Lines: constant q

Material Balance Time Blasingame

t

tc =

q(t )dt
0

q(t )

Constant Rate Case

N p (t )
q(t )

Constant BHP Case

tc =

qdt
0

=t

tc =

q(t )dt
0

q (t )

q
t

>t

The Two Solutions Boundary Dominated

Importance of Material Balance

Time
To analyze field data that exhibit variable rate
and variable BHP

Condition for use

Application of Material Balance Time
allows use of constant BHP (or rate)
solutions for the analysis of variable rate
and/or variable BHP data
Both rate and BHP need to be smooth
functions of time Sharp transient will
deviate from the analytical solutions

Use of PTA Techniques

Blasingame
Theoretical Analytical solution
Single-phase

Accounts for variable BHP

Introduction of MB Time
Exponential decline turned to Harmonic (b = 1)

Boundary-dominated regime and transient

Data q/p vs. tc (makes use of pressure data)

Exponential stem turned harmonic

Use of RTA Techniques

Agarwal-Gardner
The flowing material balance plot allows
an alternative representation of data
Very advantageous for determination of OGIP
0.0014

0.0012

q/Dm(p)

0.001

0.0008

0.0006

0.0004

0.0002

0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6
Dm(p-bar)/Dm(p)

0.8

1.2

Application to Gas Reservoirs

Oil Reservoirs
Gas Reservoirs
Pseudo-pressure

1 p ct p
r =
r r r
k t
1 p p g ct p p
r
=
r r Z r
k Z t
p
p
( p ) = m( p ) = 2 dp
0 z
1 ( p ) g c g ( p )
r
=
r r
r
k
t

When average reservoir pressure does not change

much, the RHS coefficient may be assumed constant,
i.e. liquid solutions apply. Application: Transient flow, PTA

Gas Reservoirs (cont.)

When analyzing long-term data (RTA), average reservoir
pressure changes with time. A pseudo-time function is
Defined to account for these changes.

1 ( p ) g cg ( p )
r
=
r r
r
k
t
dt
ta = ( g cg )i
g ( p )cg ( p )
0
t

tac =

( c )

g g i

q(t )

q(t )dt
0 g ( p )cg ( p )

Pseudo-time

Material-Balance pseudo-time

Typecurves as a Diagnostic Tool

Transient (infinite acting)

Transition
(influenced by
boundaries /
heterogeneities)

Boundary Dominated

log(q/p)

Energizing reservoir
(aquifer, partially
sealing fault)

Decreasing skin

Volumetric depletion

Wellbore effects (liquid

loading) or Interference

log(material balance time)

Typecurves as a Diagnostic Tool Example 1

Stimulated well, volumetric depletion

log(q/p)

log(material balance time)

Typecurves as a Diagnostic Tool Example 2

Damaged well, liquid loading problems

log(q/p)

log(material balance time)

Typecurves as a Diagnostic Tool Example 3

Boundaries not yet reached ?

log(q/p)

log(material balance time)

Typecurves as a Diagnostic Tool Example 3

Or aquifer supported reservoir?

log(q/p)

log(material balance time)

Advanced Decline Curve Analysis

Uses production data No need to shut-in
Accounts for change in bottomhole
pressure
Type curve matching and history matching
Focus is on reserve determination